Pleased To Meet You

Meetings, I am sure you get dragged in to a few. I do.

The worst are those with no or a shallow agenda. Time is soaked up and the thing that suffers is output. Yes, what we actually produce. That bug fix, that improvement to a report, that time saving in the customer service team that might squeeze one more home visit a week, to manage arrears or monitor ASB.

We do get hung up on keeping on top of email, keeping and looking busy. This week I was in a very unstructured meeting that wasted a good four hours of my time. Also cost the customer half a day when nothing really useful was generated.
Some meetings are important, but should always be called for a reason. While a regular 20 minute meeting to check and co-ordinate schedules might be quite valid, a meeting every fortnight to chew the fat in my opinion isn’t.

When will people realise it’s not about how many hours you put in it’s what you produce that really matters.

Threes and thirds feature a lot in my life. For photographic composition, the rule of thirds is a fundamental way to make images more interesting. Nature likes thirds and threes, so does the human brain. Famously, Steve Jobs always structured his presentations around just three big messages. That's all that most human brains can get their selves around. We are wired like that. No wonder we all bought an ipod, iphone and ipad.

I find it useful to just pick three things from my to do list each day that I aim to achieve. Always hardest first. That one provides maximum reward and output.
Email can also wait. It’s tempting to reply to everything as soon as it comes in. Resist that temptation, particularly if it was not sent just to you. In my book if you are only in the CC: or BCC: box, you are only important enough to know about it, not need to reply to it. So let it wait, read it later, (or maybe not at all in some cases).

Now, what to do with meetings? I would prefer to conduct them all on moving bicycles or at the very least standing up. Chairs make you too relaxed and extend the whole affair. Have a strict agenda and keep it to a maximum of 30 minutes. Another tick is to hold them before or after normal working hours. You stretch a little more out of your staff and they will be less inclined to stretch a meeting if it’s eating into their own home time.
There you go, rant over!

Related Post: Is re-badged software the bane of your life in #ukHousing ? 

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.


St Jude, it would be great to meet you.



(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk

File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Process Review,Business social networking,Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics,

CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS Template,COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting,Consilium,Consolidation,Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context, MD , Director , Housing software, UK, United Kingdom,

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Nothing Lasts Forever In The Same Old Scene

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy


What does last forever? Not relationships, cars or software it seems. Of the latter, there is a lot of old solutions about, particularly within the Social Housing sector. It always brightens up my day when someone tells me they still have some solution based around Lotus Notes, PICK, character based screens or applications written by long gone local software houses.

On a serious (Lotus) note however, we have a few housing systems in the sector and used by local councils still managing housing, currently with an end of life deadline or heading to be legacy. Capita Academy, Civica Saffron and a mix of other, being some that I have advised on recently and have pressing deadlines. The unfortunate customers still on these, all need to organise themselves and plan a reliable way forward.

Chances are and in my experience, organisations with these applications are also likely to have legacy software in other housing teams too. Examples I have seen are very old DLO/Contractor solutions, Homelessness & signposting and case management. Often these were all purchased because these areas were beyond the scope of the original solutions. A common attribute of these peripheral items is that they rarely integrate, if at all.

A lovely memory of Saffron, Universe PICK at its best

Having a solution or piece of software for 15-20+ years can be costly. A quite fag packet check often reveals that each solution may cost £60-80k annually in support, as all those years of RPI or CPI have taken their toll. The user is a victim of compound interest %increases.

If you read this and consider panicking to rush out to fast track jumping into bed with any particular system, I would suggest taking a more measured approach. It will help you be better informed, ensure you are getting value for money, transformation you most likely desire and a modern platform for the future.

INGRES at its best Academy, lovely!

I have worked recently with several clients, where within a few weeks, we had surveyed the lay of the land, considered options up close and seen solutions first hand, having opportunity to question them in detail too. There is no ‘default’ pathway or ideal way forward, don't let anyone assure you of that.

For one particular legacy HMS, in Somerset, the best outcome was to upgrade with the existing key supplier. At a council in Scotland, with the same legacy solution, the option was to go to market and in that situation, an alternative option was successfully procured.

A number of current offerings also can provide credible, tried, tested and well integrated solutions, that were historically peripheral. So DLO Contractor, Asset Management, Homelessness, Case Management etc, can all come out of the box, on day 1 going live. Consideration of any possible future mergers, cloud strategy (as the world does seem to be going browser based and off-premise), are also crucial considerations.

My involvement rarely stops at helping to enable a procurement too. In most of my projects, my Critical Friend role enables me to see the strengths and weaknesses of various solutions, which can be examined and mitigated for future clients, during pre-market engagements or procurements. My historic experience uniquely of implementing full HMS solutions, unparalleled data migration knowledge and managing a team of implementers, does also come in the mix and makes me somewhat unique among consultants suitable for this kind of task, in the UK and Ireland.

Often within just a few weeks, it’s possible to plot a way forward and make it happen, bringing reliability and surety to dealing with end of life social housing solutions.

If you are suffering software solution end of life, feel free to contact me for an informal chat. DM me or give me a call on 07854-655009. If you get some Hobnobs in and the kettle on, I am happy to pop in for an hour, when nearby. My current projects involve me in the SW, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire, Central & NE Scotland

Related Post: How many Social Housing self Service Offerings fall well short of real-world offerings?  

 

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://soundcloud.com/housingitguy/

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Roxy Music -Same Old Scene.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
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. . . . . . . . . . .

(Pro)Master and Servant

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK
or LinkedIn here uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/


Interesting news this week that one of the larger standalone asset management applications has been acquired by one of the larger housing management system providers. IN4, authors of Promaster has been swallowed up by ‘toon independent software house Orchard.  Many may recall a similar path that Codeman went down being bought by Anite, then becoming Northgate.


In both cases here is a product that runs on a different database platform than the buyer, Codeman SQL & Oracle, Promaster SQL-ish and Progress. Promaster had tried to encroach into housing territory with call logging and response repair modules, but of the many standalone products out there, it appeared to me as notoriously hard to integrate.  Taking this into account it’s maybe unlikely that Orchard may pick up more HMS customers by the acquisition. Moving everything to a MS SQL database platform looks to be the wisest move from where I am standing, if Orchard are interested.

As a customer of Promaster and I have met a few, I am sure you would have been reassured that no big changes are in the short term pipeline.  Promaster users might well benefit from improvements in support and call logging that Orchard might bring to the marriage. Maybe that formatted address may be split into sortable datafields soon. In the other direction, Orchard may well be able to incorporate new asset & planned maintenance functionality into the core housing offerings, lifted from what is successful in Promaster. 

It is becoming less and less logical to go for a standalone asset management module, when most HMS suppliers have already stepped up to the plate and improved their offerings. I hope you have noticed this, its crept up on many housing customers and many would be well advised to look again what your core software supplier can now provide.

It will be interesting to see what evolves out of this, something good I hope. I will keep my ear to the ground as to what my contacts tell me.

Tell me what you think of your asset management applications. Take the survey here.

You can link with me on LinkedIn here - uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/ It would be great to connect !

Read on to, Keystone, the next one to fall:

http://tonysmiththathousingitguy.blogspot.com/2014/05/turn-to-keystone.html

Depeche Mode- Promaster and servant.


(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009

PS As usual, if there are subjects you might like me to tackle on this blog, please get in touch and let me know!

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Good Technology

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK

How good and modern need our databases and systems be in our HMS solution? Well, many a great journey can be had in an old Moggy Minor. Watch out to pull out the choke to start it and remember to push it in once the engines warmed up. Just be satisfied with 4 gears too. Using some older systems can feel a bit like that too. There are plenty of old CTX, Saffron and other old green screen stuff still out there and much of it generally does the job.
Older solutions were designed for a different century in many cases (the 20th) and to meet modern demands, need some adaptation around the edges. Often screens and additional data fields can be bolted on. Although many do not properly relate to main screens or in fact store data correctly. Rather than tightly data typed, a more ‘stringly’ approach used to be the way. Even recording the strands of diversity or successions correctly can often be a challenge.

Older solutions can often have moved on at the database level, but still use a sometimes dated ‘common’ user interface. Compared with a modern, all-windows solution, it’s easy for individuals in a demo to quickly mark it down. The reverse can happen. A great GUI skin on an old database or schema can often sell itself over a really elegant design with a tired GUI. Well there is no justice for some suppliers I guess. If you suspect you are looking at a brand new skin, probe it to make sure it covers all the solution. Once you are implementing it you might find that less prominent modules, such as Planned Maintenance or Service Charges may be waiting in the wings for sometime, for the re-write.

I was chatting with some people recently implementing a new housing system. They were complaining about the type & costs of database the HMS sits on, the (lack of a) schema provided and reporting difficulties. These are all areas that I find essential to probe deeply when looking for a new system. These are key things and certainly should not be left to worry about until you have already paid for a quarter of it and putting it in.

Database licence costs are another element that can form an enormous proportion of costs. Legacy databases such as U2, Progress etc always used to clock up some hefty licence costs. SQL Server used to be the vastly cheaper option. Even this now needs to come under scrutiny since Microsoft’s recent announced price hike. Each user, hopefully concurrent, will be clocking up a licence cost. A merger or change to a group structure can be expensive when a system is rolled out into every corner of the organisation.

Sometimes, organisations do chuck the solution out with the dishwater. One new housing group I am aware of after investing over 6 years of effort into a perfectly stable, but workmanlike HMS are moving to a shinier one used by a smaller member of the group, where little effort has been made to get the most from it. So, another 2-4 years of effort will be needed and already some of the shortcomings are being revealed. My point is that sometimes if the system delivers all you need, maybe that’s enough. If you get your reports, interfaces with adequate mobile and internet links etc, great support and helpdesk, maybe that’s good enough.  

Make sure you have a great reason to be hankering after ‘good technology’, consider the costs and risks. More important still, make sure you understand what problems it will solve and where your ROI will come from. If you are having trouble nailing that, be sure to seek some independent advice.

Read on to: Brass In Pocket

The Red Guitars had the measure of Good Technology.



(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk

File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Process Review,Business social networking,Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics,

CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS Template,COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting,Consilium,Consolidation,Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context, MD , Director , Housing software, UK, United Kingdom,

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Technologic

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK


When can you be too techie? When you are like me and had a background in many diverse industries, from engineering, manufacturing, retail, distribution, clinical and finally 14 years in housing software, you pick up lots of baggage. With me, the drive to solve problems often causes me to dig deep into my experience for the best answer or a mix of options. It’s rarely the most obvious approach.

A lot of my knowledge was gained by doing, reading textbooks, in one case by writing on-line help for a whole suite of ActiveH products. In the latter case you learn much about your own products, how many set up screens are absent or ‘hidden’, as well as what the quality of your developers is like. Particularly getting a head in a textbook or trying stuff out is not everyone’s cup of chai. Many staff do hope to go on an expensive course and have it spoon fed.

When I was involved in the sales process I generally opened and closed demos and was always on hand to answer those interesting questions from the floor. Five years writing/supporting the product, five implementing it and five managing, directing and selling it put me in a good position for answering those questions in an honest manner. It’s disingenuous to infer that ‘Everything’s Possible’ only to find when you have purchased, it’s another story. I have always slept better being honest.

Being at a demonstration to a prospective customer in the position of Managing Director was sometimes problematical too. Some prospects pointedly took the view that maybe my software house was small and that’s why I had come along. My stock reply was “perhaps the competitors did not think you important enough to warrant a visit”. If you deal with a very large company, you can wind up as a mere customer number in the ledger, regardless of you putting hundreds of thousands of pounds of business their way each year. The second part to my reply was always that “I know this software inside out, so I am sure we can answer all your questions at this early stage as a prospect. If you join us as a customer you will see me at every user event, interested in your needs and at any time I am available for you to contact directly, day or night”.

It seems a common thing in some organisations and with certain managers, that once some people reach a certain level, they take pride in professing to be ‘non-technical’. That might be a disinterest in how to get a simple select out of SQL server, how VLOOKUP works (I should do a whole item on that!) or how the core product functions or integrates together. As can been seen above it did me no harm. In many situations that knowledge helped cut through the cow cookies. In several it helped either clinch a deal or turnaround a tense situation.

It always impresses me when someone I am working with reveals some geeky experience. Only a few weeks ago I was working with a great IT Manager who whipped out a spreadsheet for a project we were involved in that really impressed me. He had embedded in some really funky VBA macros to quickly compare data we were assessing. Icing on the cake, but with it came a feeling here was no fool and someone who will have no difficulty testing staff or supplier protestations, to get the best outcomes.

So I am quite proud that I carry that old baggage around with me. Whether I am involved in a procurement project, business process review, integrating new modules, converting, testing, integrating reporting or workflow etc, I benefit from the sum of all that experience. How many of your managers are proud to retain a certain level of geek-iness for the good of your organisation?

Can you be too techie?.


(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk

File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Process Review,Business social networking,Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics,

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Interzone

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK

or LinkedIn here uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/

Last week was one when I picked up on a new litmus test for how well customer services was working. I have heard it said that, "tidy desks generally equate to tidy minds", (although that might have just been some neatniks hanging around me). Well I have got to say, in the realm of the customer service centre, I am sold on tidy = good system integration.

So let me explain. This week I saw some CSC staff with post-its on their desks, cabinets, post-its hanging from screens, with messages, stuff to remember, to check, changes to apply, three deep in one case. Files for looking up stuff, sheets with lists etc. A bit like that red wine stain from June's retirement do, after a few days, it's just part of the patina and you just get used to it.

However from an outsider like me, it's a red rag to a bull. It's also a major obstacle to customer service. The Post-its are just one removed from having to commit those things to memory, instead staff need to commit to memory that they need to scan the right Post-its.

Have a walk down to look at your customer service team, lean on the window cill at the back and take a long good look mid-morning, while enjoying a brew.  If your staff have built an interzone of notes, files or other references, and are spending time checking them on each call, it should be ringing bells with you. Equally, I have seen a slightly more savvy version of the post-its held electronically on a HTML page. Now that's only 15% better in my book. At least you can hit Ctrl-F on that one.

I would guess that your staff may spend about 1/6th of their time checking those Post-It's (and fixing things they missed, dealing with queries generated downstream in Repairs/Rents too). For an average medium CSC of 12+ staff, introduction of an intelligent scripting application, such as Omfax would pay for itself in about a year. One member of staff freed up to create/manage scripts and one to add value elsewhere.

Now, is it worth you checking if your organisation CSC has an interzone now?

You can join me to pick up more Customer Journey Insights, next Tuesday 29th April at InMotion2014 at my Round Table at 11.30am - Best of Breed OR Single Supplier Systems. What’s Best For The Customer Journey? More info at inmotion-forum.com/inmotion-2014/round-table . I will have Owen Barrett from Newport City Homes, who has build his systems around Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Mark Howells from Sanctuary Housing Group, challenging the HMS status Quo by moving to SAP. Its going to be an interesting session. If you are at the event, please stop me, say hello and tell me what you make of the blog!

You can link with me on LinkedIn here - uk.linkedin.com/pub/tony-smith-bsc-hons-acih/a/979/351/ It would be great to connect !

Joy Division - Interzone.

(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854655009

PS As usual, if there are subjects you might like me to tackle on this blog, please get in touch and let me know!

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Data Hunter-Gatherer

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK
or LinkedIn here http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy

I always despair when I encounter or procure reporting features and modules in Housing Management Systems. They are collectively so poor, particularly for ad-hoc reporting that end-users should be capable of managing, maybe 90% of the time.

All the mainstream housing system providers tell you they have a standard reporting set and offer report training based mostly these days on SQL Server Reporting Services. Now I know that SSRS has moved in leaps and bounds since 2004 when it first appeared. Initially it was like a Redmond chainsaw with no handle, which needed VB techies to make it sing and dance. In my humble opinion I still think you need developers (.net ones now..) to make it properly boogie. It's clearly not a great situation.

Obtaining PDFs of those mythical 'standard reports' honestly, is like tracking down rocking horse sh*t. If I were more cynical, I might conclude that there were few standard reports to render into Adobe Acrobat format for me. Lack of a credible reporting set is a major drawback to many systems.

For procurements, I Iike to have a specific session on ad-hoc reporting. Many suppliers have experienced my sealed envelope and when I pick up the phone to the 'deal-or-no-deal' banker. Without much exception, suppliers always state, "Well users wouldn't come into IT and expect you to knock up a report, crossing modules like that in 30 minutes, now would they?".  Do you think that's realistic? I don't. The real world does not neatly fit into Rent, Void, Response Repairs , Lettings, Assets modules does it? I see just that type of query, most days of the week.

If I had a free reign on procurements demos I would turn them completely on their head. Session uno, would be the reporting one. That's the payback for all user effort, and that's what the organisation turns on, how it makes decisions.

Since the dawn of time, man has relied on data. It's just only recently all in 1's and 0's. Today we are no less the data 'Hunter , Gatherers' than our distant cave dwelling ancestors. They relied on smells, prey tracks, weather and other data, they turned into a survival instinct.

To keep our organisations alive, we have that same reliance on our ICT providers to connect us with the key data that runs our business. IE Where our revenues originate, what we spend money on and what do we understand of our customers, needs & habits (i.e. customer profiling). Ask yourself, how well does your systems help you achieve these reporting aims?

So, should your supplier or you be working harder to deliver your reporting, safely gathered in? Probably depends how much annual maintenance you are paying towards reporting and the contribution the module makes to your organisation.

Related Post: Picking a name, a bigger part of a project than you might think...

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.


Girlschool - Hunter.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here
Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 , ," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT, Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL, CRS Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Accuserve,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013, DynamicAI, Dynamic AI, ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance, Financial Systems, Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP, HouSys,Housing software,HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark, HRA, Housing Options, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company, Impact Response,implementations,In House,In4,InMotion, InMotion2014, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference, Infoflow,Information Technology,Informix,inHouse,in-house workforce, Innovation,Inside Housing,Internet Portal,Internetalia, Invu,Ireland,Irish,Inphase , IT Budget,IT Training,iWorld, Innovation Group Apex,ITIL, In4Systems Promaster,IT,Insight, Keylogic,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keyfax, Ledgers,Linkedin,Locality,Liquid Voice, MD ,Mr Void , MrVoid, Measuring Change,Mebus,Miracle,MISCS, mobile functionality,Monopoly board images and pictures, Montal,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Miracle Software,Management Reporting,MI,M3,MIS,MIS-AMS,Mobysoft, Northgate Codeman,Neighbourhoods and Communities, Northgate,Notice,NROSH,NINTEX , NINTEX workflow,Nintexworkflow, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,Ohms,OJEU Limits,OmFax,Omniledger,Open source software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-Time,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH, Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities, Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus, Peoplevalue, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC , Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint,Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Media,Software,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting Services,SQL reporting services,SQL Server,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment, TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, SunAccounts Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tableau Business Dashboards, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousingg, tonysmiththathousinguy, sharepoint, share point Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy ,TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, Totalmobile, Total Mobile, UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,Universal Housing,Universalcredit, universal credit, universal credits,UC,Universe,Unrest, UK, United Kingdom ,Ukhousing,UK Housing, Van Stock,Voice and data,Vantage Sentinel,Version One,Visualmetrics,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App .

Mistakes

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy



Are your mistakes to be penalised or something to be learned from?

I have recently been reading the fascinating book, 'Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness', by Frederic Laloux. It is a testament to 'Teal thinking'. I have found it a real eye-opener and it really connects organisations back with us as humans and not as the machines the hierarchies of our organisations attempt to enforce.

In the examples that are highlighted, in social and commercial organisations , there is hope that we can value our mistakes. Moving quickly and acting on our mistakes is the future secret of success. I am aware of many organisations, suppliers and clients, who sometimes repeat the same mistakes, over and over. As each iteration of the same error or mistake occurs, the response is, "We should really tackle that, or that person". Clearly, to act quickly prevents that problem occurring again. Change is hard, but it is necessary.

People in social enterprises such as housing need to be empowered to highlight mistakes in a positive way, with suggested solutions to help us think differently. Our suppliers make many mistakes and clients pick up the tab. If clients are forceful, suppliers spend more money on repeat days. But do we learn from those mistakes and prevent them happening again?

The existing hierarchical organisation model is failing, if that hierarchy is two or nine deep. ask yourself, are your staff cogs in a machine or empowered to contribute to the greater good?

The case studies, from real enterprises, in the book are pretty enlightening and there are many practical ideas that can be cannibalised for wider needs. There  are some great ideas that could be used in a 'lab' style environment, championed by socialhousing leaders, such as Bromford Group and Halton Housing Trust.

The vision of 'Teal' is the imagination of the possible, for commercial and social enterprises. If you truly want to transform your organisation, product sales and delivery, this is a book for you.  Laloux gets these concepts over really well. You would be hard pressed to not improve your organisation, after reading this.

Check the book out on this link

     Catch the blog monthly archive at https://archive.org/details/@housingitguy

Related Post: Easy, cheap and convenient project management, check out BaseCamp... 

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.


The Charlatans - Mistakes.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 ,365Agile," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain,#InternetOfTenants, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,AirWatch,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos, Asprey e-state pro,ActiveHousing,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview,Agile365, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,Civica Genero,Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL, CRS Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Accuserve,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013, DynamicAI, Dynamic AI, ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance, Financial Systems, Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Footprint,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP,Genero,GCloud,G-Cloud,HouSys,Housing software,HFI (Housing Financials interface),HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark, HRA,housingtITguy,Housing Support Pro,HousingSupportPro,Housing Options,Hometeam, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company,Impact Response,iPayPro,implementations,iRobot,In House,InHouse,In4,InMotion, InMotion2016, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference,Housing Management Consultant,Housing Management Consultants, 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Common Housing Register People

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy

 
Smuggled out just prior to the Christmas 2016 break, you may have missed the news that popular Common Housing Register software supplier, Abritas have now been acquired by Civica.I had heard a whisper earlier in the autumn and thought this an interesting one.

In the deal, Civica pick up the web based housing needs, options & letting application, including an online mutual exchange tool to help tenants swap homes (www.swapandmove.co.uk). This follows on from other merger & acquisitions related to UKHousing, such as Keystone Asset Management, a few years ago and Coldharbour for community care.

This acquisition is billed naturally from Simon Reynolds of Abritas as "...the next stage in the development of our business and is a very positive step for employees, customers and partners".

Past experiences of other products being merged into a group, have resulted in a (sometimes shoddy) re-badge of software, merging of help/support desks, loss of experienced staff, loss of focus, increased prices and generally some deterioration of service to customers and end-users.Perhaps Civica may consider moving some of those incoming web developers, over to the Cx implementations. Particularly one organisation I am working with, would benefit greatly from that.

It will be interesting to see how this evolves, with the many clients I work with, using Abritas solutions and moving over to the Cx Housing system. I do tend to hear a degree of moaning, although I am unsure if that is a result of bad initial specification of CHR requirements when procuring or any particular service issues. Common Housing Registers can be contentious and I often see them hosted on particular HMS letting platforms, such as Northgate, Orchard and others. Other CHR platforms are available. Keeping all CHR partners happy however, is no mean feat.  

It will have netted Civica a number of new customers, as around 170 organisations are currently thought to utilise CHR's across the UK.

Read the full announcement here.

As ever, if I can help with Common Housing Register, EDRMS, Housing, Finance, Mobile, Channel Shift, Scheduling or Contractor systems, please be in touch!

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://archive.org/details/@housingitguy

Related Post: Why does #UKhousing have such a problem with BYOD mobiles? 

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Pulp - Common People.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 ,365Agile," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain,#InternetOfTenants, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,AirWatch,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos, Asprey e-state pro,ActiveHousing,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview,Agile365, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,Civica Genero,Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact 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Sledgehammer

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK
or LinkedIn here http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy

Taking your social housing repairs service back in house. Now is that taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut?

In the last few weeks, there have been a succession of larger RSLs and social housing groups, making decisions to bring responsive repairs back in house, or expand their existing handyperson teams. These include Midland Heart, Muir HA have bought one, Affinity Sutton leave Osborne after contract ends.

It's difficult to know if these are all driven by an agenda to drive up quality or drive down average cost per property. Both of these can be controlled very well internally, although overheads of controlling your own workforce, need to be factored in. We all know that a saving of 20% VAT is up for grabs, but what cost the other prerequisites to control the operation?

It would be great to be able to look externally to see how the private repairs sector uses technology to manage its operations and control costs. In my experience, unfortunately, much of the private sector, some big names too, still rely on spreadsheets, Access databases and T-Cards (anyone remember those) to control work carried out. There are some really big examples I could name, but wont in order to contain the embarrassment. It is a fact that DLO's inside social housing tend to have better application software than outside.

I've worked with many DLO's and the core application needed is a flexible Contractor module, with good stock functionality, and good interfaces to client housing systems and mobile. A flexible mobile system that is reliable, proven with existing user operative volumes in the same range as required is essential. Proven in or out of coverage, mobile pushes administration to its source and enables electrical, gas safety and other certificates to be generated there too. The holy trinity, to go all Catholic on us, is formed by the addition of dynamic scheduling.

A move to an expansion of an internal workforce needs to take into account the costs of the above applications, plus additional back office administration required. Satisfaction can be improved and costs reduced by the use of good processes, SMS and emails to keep repair customers informed. Good integration into a customer self service portal also makes an impact, if sufficient numbers are provided a comfortable and efficient environment, to channel shift.

Great KPIs are the essential tool to manage operative productivity, costs and compliance with priorities and SLA's. This is one area often missed by RSL's procuring new systems, also one where decent off the shelf reports are often thin on the ground. Ad-Hoc reporting is also essential, and must be easily available. Knowing which vans are incorrectly stocked, who takes longest on average on breaks, why do certain operatives visit the stores more often, where did we fit that type of boiler, now found to have a vulnerability?         

While new DLO's probably don't need sledgehammers to crack nuts, sometimes they will need good advice to pick the right tools for the job.

Related Post: Why the reluctance in housing, to Bring Your Own Device?

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.


Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here
Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 , ," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT, Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL, CRS Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Accuserve,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013, DynamicAI, Dynamic AI, ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance, Financial Systems, Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP, HouSys,Housing software,HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark, HRA, Housing Options, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company, Impact Response,implementations,In House,In4,InMotion, InMotion2014, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference, Infoflow,Information Technology,Informix,inHouse,in-house workforce, Innovation,Inside Housing,Internet Portal,Internetalia, Invu,Ireland,Irish,Inphase , IT Budget,IT Training,iWorld, Innovation Group Apex,ITIL, In4Systems Promaster,IT,Insight, Keylogic,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keyfax, Ledgers,Linkedin,Locality,Liquid Voice, MD ,Mr Void , MrVoid, Measuring Change,Mebus,Miracle,MISCS, mobile functionality,Monopoly board images and pictures, Montal,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Miracle Software,Management Reporting,MI,M3,MIS,MIS-AMS,Mobysoft, Northgate Codeman,Neighbourhoods and Communities, Northgate,Notice,NROSH,NINTEX , NINTEX workflow,Nintexworkflow, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,Ohms,OJEU Limits,OmFax,Omniledger,Open source software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-Time,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH, Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities, Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus, Peoplevalue, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC , Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint,Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Media,Software,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting Services,SQL reporting services,SQL Server,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment, TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, SunAccounts Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tableau Business Dashboards, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousingg, tonysmiththathousinguy, sharepoint, share point Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy ,TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, Totalmobile, Total Mobile, UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,Universal Housing,Universalcredit, universal credit, universal credits,UC,Universe,Unrest, UK, United Kingdom ,Ukhousing,UK Housing, Van Stock,Voice and data,Vantage Sentinel,Version One,Visualmetrics,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App .